Cooling or refrigerating body



Julie 23, 1936.

J. M. HILL COOLING 0R REFRICTERA'IING BODY Filed Jan. 15/1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 J'OSEP/i M11111 TEE;

ATTORNEYS June 23, 1936. J. M. HILL COOLING OR REFRIGERATING BODY FiledJan. 15, 1935 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JbSEP/a' N. /1/LL ATTORNEYS June 23, 1936. J. M. HILL 2,044,943

I COOLING OR REFRIGERATING BODY Filed Jan. 15; 1935 s sheets-sheet s INVENTOR l v M JOSEPH M. HILL TIE-1E- ATTO RNEYS Patented June 23, 1936 PATENT OFFICE COOLING OR REFRIGERATING BODY Joseph M. Hill, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor of onehalf to Henry S. Narten and Robert J. Van

Stone Application January 15, 1935, Serial No. 1,939

12 Claims.

The present invention appertains to the art of taneous actuation of various doors such as those,

cooling bodies or enclosures designed particularly for employment in conjunction with vehicles such as trucks adapted for the transporting of food, produce, and like articles or products required or desired to be maintained in cool condition.

The invention comprises primarily a body structure which may be utilized as the body of a motor truck, so known, or the body structure may be incorporated in the construction of railway cars and availed of to increase or maintain the cooling of the enclosing chamber or compartment of whatever may be the structure in which the body of the invention is incorporated.

In the carrying out of my invention 1 provide a body structure including a cooling chamber or compartment proper which is preferably built with an insulating wall or walls, top, and bottom. The said chamber or compartment structure is surrounded wholly or in part by an enclosing unit preferably made up of walls spaced from the walls of the said compartment, and a top which is likewise spaced from the top of the compartment, thereby to provide a free and controlled air space intermediate the body structure and the enclosing unit therefor. Assuming that the invention is incorporated in a vehicle structure designed to be propelled at greater or less speed, dependent upon its particular type, the design of my cooling ,9 body contemplates the provision of doors at the front of the body structure and enclosing unit and at the rear thereof, the said doors being adapted to be opened to admit air into the spaces between the side walls of the body structure and the enclosing unit walls, and between the top of said structure and the enclosing unit top, so that it is possible to induce a forced draft or circulation of air through the said spaces. In this manner the walls and top of the body structure in are cooled by the passing air moving along said walls and top, the action thus being to prevent the passing of the outside heat through the walls of the inner body structure with the usual efiect of causing melting of ice or any other refrigerant 7, that may be utilized to cool the interior of the body structure.

Still another feature of my invention resides in certain novel features availed of for manipulating the said doors to open and close the same,

the mechanism employed being such as to place the control of such opening and closing movements at a central station, as for instance near the seat of the driver of a vehicle equipped with my body construction, the working parts of the 55 door operating mechanism permitting of simulfor example, that may control the opening and closing of the spaces intermediate the sides of the body structure and the enclosing unit therefor.

Still another objective of the present invention deals with the problem of maintaining articles stored in the chamber or compartment of the body structure cool in the absence of the use of a refrigerating medium such as ice or other re-' frigerants commonly employed for the purposes of bodies like the invention. Thus, when my 'body structure .is utilized for instance for the transportation of produce such as vegetables, which may be packed in large quantities within the chamber of the body structure, I make provision for passing through the said chamber a current of air to carry off any heat which might be generated by reason of the bulk of the packed produce or articles and derived from the pressure of the same when piled upon one another. this in view I contemplate providing conduits or passages by which communication maybe established between one or more of the air spaces be tween the body structure and the enclosing unit, so that air which enters one or more of said spaces may be deflected so as to pass into the chamber or compartment of the body structure at one end of the latter and be carried off through a suitable conduit located at the other end, the conduits being so disposed as to provide for circulation of the air about the produce or articles in the chamber of the body structure so that heat that may be generated between the articles and in the said chamber may be carried off and a comparatively cool condition maintained in the said chamber.

For the carrying out of the last mentioned objectlve I have devised special valve and air cur.- rent deflecting means, and a special arrangement of inlet and exit conduits, adapted to be controlled by the operator in charge of the vehicle or body structure, so that the last mentioned method of cooling may be availed of at will dependent upon the nature of the produce or articles that are stored in the chamber or compartment aforesaid.

A full understanding of the invention will be had upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated certain preferred and modified adaptations of the body which is availed of for the purposes of the invention, it being understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact forms of the construction that are set forth hereinafter, since they may be modified considerably according to the particular uses to With which the invention may be intended to be put.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view ofa motor vehicle or truck comprising a body that is made up of the improvements constituting the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear end' view of the body alone.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of'Figure 1, looking rearwardly, and bringing out more clearly the relative disposition of the so-called body structure and its enclosing unit, also the manner of supporting the refrigerant containers that may be employed, parts being omitted.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the body taken about on the line 44 of Figure 3, parts being broken away.

Figure '5 is a bottom plan view of the body, illustrating the operating device utilized for the simultaneous opening of the front and rear doors controlling the passage of air through the side air spaces between the walls of the body structure and enclosing unit.

Figure 6 is a detail fragmentary view showing one of the doors at the end of one of the side air spaces in open position as shifted by an actuating link connected with the central operating disc or wheel.

Figure 7 is an end view of the body illustrating a type of front and rear doors for the side air passages wherein the doors slide vertically and are constructed somewhat in the manner of sliding valves.

Figures 8, 9, and 10 are front, edge, and rear views respectively, of the said door parts, the door in Figure 8 and in Figure 10 being shown closed.

' Figure- 11 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating the operating devices for the doors of the modified adaptation of Figures 7 to 9 inclusive.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic horizontal sectional view through the upper portion of the body showing the operating device employed for opening the passage intermediate the tops of the body structure and the enclosing unit.

Detail description of construction of body According to they invention as illustrated in Figure 1, my body is designed for a motor vehicle such as one of the large motor trucks at present commonly in use for transporting food, produce, or any other articles designed to be kept cool. The principle of construction of. the body asincorporated in a. motor truck may, however, be similarly incorporated in railroad rolling stock as for instance refrigerator cars, and passenger cars may be equipped similarly to carry out the principle of the invention for maintaining passenger compartments of such cars cooled and thoroughly ventilated. The body of my invention is designated generally as A, see Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, and said body is made up of what I term the body structure comprising the base or bottom I, the side walls 2 and 3, and the top 4. The parts i, 2, 3, and 4 may be fabricated or built up after any well known manner of construction, from metal members combined with insulation features des-' ignated Ia, 2a, 3a, and do, for the said parts. The details of such features are not material to the invention, as the base, top, and wall structural parts may be assembled in different ways. I prefer to provide near the uppermost portion of the compartment B of the body structure supporting members such as angle bars 5 and 6, and an I- beam or assembled angle plates 1, to afford supporting and guide means for holders and containers of ice or any other well known refrigerant 1 such as is used in refrigerator compartments or refrigerating trucks or cars. The parts 5, 6, and 7 are simply a convenient means for emplacing and supporting the refrigerating medium enabling the ready removal of the receptacles containing said 1 medium, and the replacement thereof at will.

Substantially enclosing the body structure just described is what I term an enclosing unit made up of a top 8 and sides 9 and Hi. The top 8 is spaced from the top 4 of the body structure, and the sides 9 and ID are similarly spaced from the sides 2 and 3 respectively, suitable spacing means i I being disposed between the side parts aforesaid. According to my construction, the side members 9 and ll! of the enclosing unit are not of insulating design so far as the employment of any insulation material may be concerned, but it will be within the provision of my invention to so construct them if it be desired. On the other hand, the top 8 of the enclosing unit is provided with an insulation body or member I2 between the upper and lowermost portions of said top.

By the construction thus far set forth, it will be apparent that there are provided air spaces C and D between the respective sides of the body structure and the enclosing unit, and an air space E between the top 8 of said unit and the top 4 of the body structure. Under these conditions the chamber or compartment B is surrounded at its sides and at the top by air spaces.

Doors and controlling means for air spaces The air spaces C, D, and E are designed to be open at their front ends when doors located at such ends are in open position, and the same is true in respect to the rear ends of said spaces. Thus, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, at the front of the air spaces C, D, and E, are located the doors l3, l4, and I5, respectively, and at the rear ends of said air spaces are located the doors I3a, Ma, and I5a, respectively.

Now it is contemplated that doors l3, It, and Ba and la shall be opened and closed simultaneously by suitable mechanism such as illustrated in 5 Figure 5, wherein I provide a central actuating disc or wheel I6 connected by rear links H to the rear doors I31: and Ma, and simultaneously connected by the front links l8 to the front doors I3 and I4. An actuating link 19 leads forwardly to 6 the front end of the body structure and enclosing unit of the body A, and this link is operable by a rod 20 which may be connected to a lever 2| or the like, see Figure 13, which lever 25 will be located convenient to the operator or driver of the 6 nected by links 23 with said doors, the disc or Wheel 22 having an arm 24 connected with a spring 25, the latter normally tending to hold the doors closed. Leading from the arm 24 is a cable or suitable actuating member 26 which extends forwardly through the front wall of the body A to a point where it may be operated by the driver at the driving station by pulling forwardly upon the cable 26, and securing the cable at such adjustment the doors l5 and I50, may be held open.

It is notable thatthe several links H and I8 directly connect with the doors operated thereby through pivotal connections with swinging horizontal portions 21 that move with the doors.

Modified construction of doors and operating mechanism therefor Figures 7 to 11 inclusive illustrate a different type of doors such as may be used at the front and rear ends of the passages C and D. The doors in this modification are sliding members 28 movable in contact with guide and closing plates 29 which are attached in any suitable manner to the front and rear ends of the body A over the openings at the ends of the passages or spaces C and D. The plates 29 are equipped with guides 30 in which the doors 28 slide and the parts 28 and 29 are provided with registering openings that when brought into registration establish communication between the external atmosphere and the spaces or passages C and D. When the members 28 are caused to slide so that their openings 2811. are not in registration with the openings 29a of the plates 29, the spaces or passages C and D are cut off from the external atmosphere.

At the lower ends thereof the doors 28 have inwardly extending arms 3| which are connected by cross bars 32, one cross bar for the pair of doors 'at'the front of the body A and the other cross bar for the pair of doors at the rear of the body A. Preferably located on the central axis of the body A beneath the same is an operating shaft 33 supported in suitable bearing brackets 34. and this shaft carries at the front and rear ends thereof actuating cams 35.with cam slots 38, said slots one end of the shaft 33 is capable of rotating said shaft partially to swing the cams 35 in an arcuate path, thereby to cause the slots 36 to act upon the pins 31 and either raise or lower the doors 28, dependent upon in which direction the lever 38 is moved. The slots 36 are located upon an arc eccentric to the axis afforded by the shaft 33, and thus the doors 28 will be held in their upper or lower positions, closing and opening the spaces or passages C and D respectively,'according to such positions.

At the rear end of the body A the compartment or chamber B of the body structure is equipped with customary doors 39 which may be suitably hinged so as to open and close readily, and which may be locked in closed position by any ordinary lock or latch means 41!, see Figure 2.

. Air control for body compartment Figure 4, near the front end of the chamber B are located vertical pipes or conduits 4 I, near the lower end of which are provided air exit openings 42. At their upper ends the conduits or pipes 41 pass through the top 4 of the chamber B and communicate with the top passage E. Adjacent to the upper end of the pipes 4i and extending entirely across the passage E is a valve 43, which is shown best in Figure l4 as consisting of a flat plate pivoted at its lower edge as shown at 44, said plate at its opposite ends being adapted to rest upon the bottom of the space E and close the upper ends of the pipes or conduits 4| against communication with said space. The pipes 4| may be characterized as intake or inlet pipes or conduits. At the rear of the body A and near the upper rear portion of the chamber B are outlet conduits 45 establishing communication with the rear end of the chamber B and the said space E. These conduits or pipes 45, being near the rear doors 39 of the body A. enable hand operated doors or valves 46 to be manipulated so as to close the lower ends thereof when the doors 39 are opened.

For operation of the valve 43, as seen best in Figure 1, its hinging pintle or shaft at 44 passes through the side walls 3 and Ill of the body structure and enclosing unit therefor. attached to this outwardly extending end of the shaft or pintle 44, and a depending rod 48 extends downwardly near the lower portion of the adjacent side of the body A to a point of connection with a lever 49 cooperating with a locking sector or segment 50 of ordinary type. By raising and lowering the lever 49, readily manipulatable from the exterior of the truck or body A, the valve 43 may be raised and lowered. The valve 43 has a V-notch in its upper edge portion 5|. through which notch the operating link 23 may pass, see Figure 12.

Operation of the invention With the construction before described in view, the operation of my invention is comparatively simple. Supposing that the chamber B of the body structure has been supplied with refrigerating means such as ice or the like in the containers 52, see Figure 3, and also supposing the chamber has been loaded with the articles to be kept cool and to be transported, if the body A is of the transportable type, it is evident that the operator may readily open the doors l5 and 15a by actuation of the part 26, see Figure 12. Likewise, the doors l3, l4, l3a, and [4a may be similarly opened. Under the above conditions. the valve 43 will be maintained closed, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. Thus, during the travel of the vehicle or truck, a current of air of the temperature of the external atmosphere will be caused to flow through the passages C, D, and E, or those of these passages the doors of which may be adjusted to open position, if it be not desired that all of them be open at one time. By the foregoing arrangement and action of the air in passing through the spaces or passages C, D, and E. or one or more of them, it is obvious that heat that may be received upon the sides 9 and i0 and the top 8 of the enclosing unit for the bodystructure, will 'be prevented from beingtransmitted to the walls 2 and 3 and the top 4 of said body structure. In this manner, the pre-fixed temperature of the chamber B under the influence of the refrigerants therein may be maintained a much longer period of time than An arm 41 is is incident to a construction of the ordinary type tained lower than would otherwise be the case if the construction of the passages C, D, and E were not availed of, or said construction and the currents of air passing through the said passages not used.

Where the body A of the invention is to be employed for transportation of produce such as vegetables or the like, it is very desirable to maintain such produce in cool condition, something very diflicult in the absence of artificial refrigeration where the produce is packed in heavy bulk in the storage chamber 13 of the body A. For the purpose just mentioned, the passages C, D, and E may be availed of, and especially the passages C and D, by maintaining the doors thereof in opened positions; but in addition to this, or even if said passages C and D are closed, the doors of the passage E may be maintained opened and the valve 43 raised to open the upper ends of the pipes or conduits 4|. The valve 43 constitutes not only a cut-off means but also a deflector, and therefore the current of air entering the front end of the passage E when the valve 33 is raised, will be deflected by said valve so as to enter the upper ends of the conduits 4!, pass downwardl therethrough, and out of the openings 42 into the lower front portion of the chamber B. Then the air thus entering the chamber B will circulate through the chamber and through or around the articles contained therein, which may be produce or the'like, and said air will pass outwardly from the chamber B through the exit openings or passages 45, the doors 46 of which have been previously opened. From the passages 45 said air will enter the passage or space E and pass out of the latter through the rear door I511.

The advantage in employing doors of the type shown at 28 in Figures 7 to inclusive is derived from the fact that these doors do not project from the body A and are not likely therefore to be struck and damaged with resultant disadvantages of an obvious nature.

It is to be understood from the foregoing that my invention primarily involves the provision of a body divided, practically speaking, into a cooling chamber or compartment with an enclosure partially or wholly surrounding said compartment to provide air space between the two, and provisions for causing the passage through the said air space of air from the external atmosphere, or at least a forced circulation of suitable air. Subsidiary to the foregoing would be the employment of the provisions for deflecting the air, or for generally causing air to be circulated through the compartment or chamber itself for the purposes set forth hereinbefore.

The principles of my invention may be applied to the construction of various kinds of vehicles including not only those previously specifically referred to, but passenger automobiles, passenger buses, and the like.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

sages between it and the body structure, doorsfor closing the opposite ends of the said air passages at the front and rear of the said body, and means for operating said doors and holding them in open or closed positions, comprising actuated parts located convenient tothe drivers station of said vehicle body.

2. A cooling vehicle body for transportation of articles to be cooled, the same comprising a body structure providing a storage chamber for said articles, an enclosing unit for said body structure spaced therefrom to provide air spaces between it and the body structure, doors for closing the opposite ends of the said air spaces at the front and rear of the said body, and means for operating said doors and holding them in open or closed positions, comprising an actuating member movably mounted upon the body, connecting parts leading from said actuating member to the several doors, and an operating member for moving the actuating member to simultaneously desired.

3. A cooling vehicle body for transportation I of articles to be maintained cool or refrigerated,

the same comprising a body structure including a base, side walls, and a top forming an enclosing chamber, an enclosing unit for said body structure consisting of side walls spaced from the side walls of the body structure, and a top spaced from the top of the body structure, doors for the spaces between the side walls of the enclosing unit and the body structure, operating mechanism for simultaneously opening and closing said doors, doors for the front and rear ends of the spaces between the tops of the body structure and enclosing unit, and operating mechanism for simultaneously opening and closing the latter mentioned doors.

4. A cooling vehicle body for transportation of articles to be maintained cool, the same comprising a body structure including a base, side walls, and a top forming an enclosing chamber, an enclosing unit for said body structure consisting of side -walls spaced from the side walls of the body structure, and a top spaced from the top of the body structure, doors for the spaces between the side walls of the enclosing unit and the body structure, operating mechanism for simultaneously opening and closing said doors, doors for the front and rear ends of the spaces between the tops of the body structure and enclosing unit, and operating mechanism for simultaneously opening and closing the latternmentioned doors, the said operating mechanism for the several doors aforesaid including operating parts located adjacent to the drivers station of the vehicle so as to render the operation of the doors controllable from said drivers station.

5. A cooling vehicle body for transportation of articles to be maintained cool, the same comprisinga body structure including a base, side walls, and a top forming an enclosing chamber, an enclosing unit for said body structure consisting of side walls spaced from the side walls of the body structure, and a top spaced from the top of the body structure, doors for the spaces between the side walls of the enclosing unit and the body structure, operating mechanism for simultane ously opening and closing said doors, doors for the front and rear ends of the spaces between the tops of the body structure and enclosing unit, operating mechanism for simultaneously opening and closing the latter mentioned doors, the said operating mechanism for the several doors aforesaid including operating parts located adjacent to the drivers station of the vehicle so as to render the operation of the doors controllable from said drivers station, conduits leading from one of the passages between the enclosing unit and body structure near the front end of the body, into the chamber of the body structure, other conduits leading from the chamber of the body structure into one of the passages between the body structure and the enclosing unit, and a valve controllable to cut off or to deflect air passing through said passage communicating with the first mentioned conduits, with respect to said conduits, whereby the air may be prevented from entering the front conduits, or deflected into same, respectively.

6. In a cooling body of the class described, a body structure forming a storage chamber for articles to be kept cool, an enclosing unit for said body structure having its parts spaced from the corresponding parts of the body structure to provide an open-ended air passage therebetween, conduits leading from said air passage into the chamber provided by the body structure, other conduits leading from the chamber as outlet passages therefrom into said passage between the said enclosing unit and body structure from which said first-mentioned conduits lead, and control means whereby air entering the passage aforesaid may be selectively caused to pass therefrom to the conduits that conduct the air into the said chamber, and cut off from passing into said conduits so as to enable the air to pass directly through said passage.

7. In a cooling body of the class described, a

body structure forming a storage chamber for articles to be kept cool, an enclosing unit for said body structure having its parts spaced from the whereby air entering the passage aforesaid may be caused to pass therefrom to the conduits that conduct the air into the said chamber, or cut off from passing into said conduits, said control means including a valve in said passage adapted to close the conduits that conduct the air therefrom into the chamber when said valve is disposed in one position, and adapted to assume an open position wherein the valve acts as a deflector to cause the air entering said passage to be deflected into the conduits for supplying the said air into the said chamber.

8. In a cooling body of the class described, a body structure forming a storage chamber for articles to be kept cool, an enclosing unit for said body structure having its parts spaced from the corresponding parts of the body structure to provide an air passage therebetween, conduits leading from said air passage into the chamber provided by the body structure, other conduits leading from the chamber as outlet passages therefrom into said passage between the said enclosing unit and body structure, and control means whereby air entering the passage aforesaid may be caused to pass therefrom to the conduits that conduct the air into the said chamber, or cut off from passing into said conduits, said control means including a valve in said passage adapted to close the conduits that conduct the air therefrom into the chamber when said valve is disposed in one position, and adapted to assume an open position wherein the valve acts as a defiector to cause the air entering said passage to be deflected into the conduits for supplying the said air into the said chamber, and operating means for said valve comprising a pintle shaft extending through the walls of the body structure and enclosing unit, and an actuating device exterior to the body and connected with said pintle shaft for shifting the valve to its out oif or defiecting positions previously referred to.

9. A cooling body for transport vehicles, comprising a body structure constituting a storage chamber for articles to be kept cool during transportation, an enclosing unit extending about the body structure and in spaced relation thereto and defining air spaces between the enclosing unit and the body structure, above and at the sides of the latter, said air spaces extending to the opposite ends of the body structure and affording substantially straight open-ended pas- .sagespermitting unobstructed circulation of air therethrough from end to end incident to travel and vice versa.

10. A cooling body for transport vehicles, comprising a body structure constituting a storage chamber for articles to be kept cool during transportation, an enclosing unit extending about the body structure in spaced relation thereto and defining separate air spaces between the enclosing unit and the body structure, one above and one at each side of the latter, said air spaces extending to the opposite ends of the body structure and affording substantially straight open-ended passages permitting unobstructed circulation of air therethrough from end to end incident to travel of the vehicle, .means for controlling the circulation of air through said spaces, said means including doors at opposite ends of said passages, shiftable from positions enabling the air to pass directly into and out of the ends of said passages to positions covering said ends, and vice versa, andinstrumentalities for operating said doors,

' said instrumentalities being arranged to operate the doors at the ends of the upper passage simultaneously, and to operate the doors at the ends of both side passages simultaneously, but independently of the upper passage doors, and said instrumentalities including means for holding the doors intheir respectively open and closed positions.

11. A cooling body of the class described, comprising a body structure providing a storage chamber, for articles to be kept cool, an enclosing unit for said body structure having wall parts spaced from the walls of the body structure to provide separate open-ended air spaces over the top and at the opposite sides of the storage chamber, and means for selectively closing the ends of the said air spaces, whereby the circulation of air through the top and/or side spaces is prevented.

12. A-cooling body for transport vehicles of the class described, comprising a body structure providing a storage chamber for articles to be kept cool, an enclosing unit for said body structure having wall parts spaced from the walls of the body structure to provide separate open-ended air spaces or passages arranged co-extensive with the line of travel of the vehicle, and means for selectively closing said air spaces for the purpose JOSEPH M. HILL 

